Wow, how things change so fast! Just last year, Rachel Atherton was on top of the world after winning the dowhill world championship in Italy. This year, she’s spent the entire season healing after her collision with a pick-up truck during a training session (Pick-up truck 1 Atherton 0).

The crash forced her to undergo surgery on her shoulder in May, but it’s still too unstable for her to race and she needs more time to build up the supporting muscles.

Atherton has said that she is disappointed to miss the season and only wanted more success after last year, but acknowledges that she’ll have to wait until 2010 to get back on the bike.

We’re holding thumbs for you, girl. Come back stronger than before and show these other riders how a champion does it!

Local cycling star, Greg Minnaar, experienced a high speed crash at the UCI Downhill World Cup in Mt. Ste. Anne, Quebec. Yet despite this, he managed to get back on the saddle and finish in 22nd place. This misfortune has unfortunately cost Minnaar in the overall standings as he slipped from 1st to 3rd.

In the same event, Steve Peat claimed his 50th career podium when he finished in 2nd place. Clap, clap Stevey!

Like the self-implosion of egos that Real Madrid and Man City will suffer this season, so are the days of our mountain bikes…

In today’s episode of Days of our Mountain Bikes titled ‘Till the law do us part’, Mike attends Julia’s funeral and leaves a rose bent into the shape of a mountain bike on her grave. He begins to cry before he sees her ghost (yes, Mike experiences many paranormal incidents). Julia’s ghost tells him, “Go forth my love. Find a new cycling partner that’ll love and treasure you”. Will Mike heed the advice from her ghost?

Tobias and Whitney arrive in the USA ready to get married and start fresh. However, once they move into their little home, they have the unwanted attention from all the snoopy old ladies in the town. It seems like the old ladies are more concerned that they’re living together as an unmarried couple than them being father and daughter. Will this unwanted attention prompt Tobias and Whitney to move quickly and get married?

Diana runs away with Hel-Met in the early hours of the morning. She can’t bear to see Petro cause more harm on her adopted son. They quickly board a plane to France, where they plan to catch the end of the Tour de France race and throw sticks into the path of the cyclists. Will Petro follow them or is Hel-Met finally safe?

Watcha doin’ on the 9 August, huh, huh, huh, huh, huh? Well, if you’re anything like the rest of the MTB Shorts crew, you’ll be heading off to the Vit-T-Go MTB Super Series at Babba’s Lodge in Bultfontein (I’m going to be honest and say I have no freaking idea how to get there, but our friends at Supersport have been supreme awesomeness by providing directions for every non-GPS owner, so check out directions here).

Please take note that closing for all entries is Wednesday 5 August at 18h00. So get your number before it’s too late (a little birdie told me that if you enter online, you’ll also get a free T-Shirt – sweeeeeet!).

You know the drill: get the number, arrive there before starting time at 08h30, and race till your little lungs explode to claim a podium place and a mention on the results board. By the way, results of the event will be posted on www.spectrumsport.co.za.

I’ve also been so gracious to create a little summary of the information for everyone. You can thank me later by buying me lunch – that’ll be one Greek pasta salad and peach flavoured sparkling water from Woolworths please!

The African Continental Champs will be happening at Mankele, Mpumalanga – just 30km from Nelspruit and pretty near to the Sudwala Caves. The 11th of July will be dedicated to the cross-country event and the 12th will be the downhill competition.

Every junior rider, U23 and Elite will have to purchase a SA kit – otherwise they won’t be allowed to compete. So if you don’t have a kit yet, go out and buy it!

Guys and girls, the African Continental Champs is going to be an exceptional ride, where you’ll cross bridges, rivers, bush tunnels and monstrous climbs over 7.4km. It really is a fantastic way to get in touch with the beauty of the country and give yourself a sensational workout.

Diarise 11-12 July, because over that weekend, Mpumalanga is going to be dancing to the beat of MTB!

I’m sure most of us have been packing on a few extra kilos over these public holidays. It’s hard resisting all the sweet and tasty food in front of you; and besides it’s rude to reject Aunt Heather’s lemon meringue cake.

At the same time, many of us have also probably slacked going to gym and maintaining our fitness levels – yes, yes, I know I’m guilty. However, if you wish to remain in supreme physical condition, my current routine is definitely not recommended.

Did you know that you if layoff exercising for 12 days, you’ll go back halfway between your trained level and your original state before you even trained? And if you don’t train for another 12 days, you’ll go to half of that too! Basically, if you don’t exercise for a month, all your hard work will have been in vain.

It’s important to be fit when doing MTB, because stiffness and pulling muscles is no joke. You could seriously injure yourself if you aren’t physical prepared. My advice – come join me and my partner in crime, Fred, at the gym and let’s sweat back into shape. Remember, stress is necessary for positive change.

I’m so confused to what day it is. These public holidays are unrelenting – not that I’m complaining, I just wish I knew if it was Monday or Tuesday or Friday. Regardless, I’m excited to hear that there will be some MTB action available on the 1st May.

If you’re in the Western Cape – or more precisely the Overberg area, near Greyton – why not head down to the Dirtopia Mountain Bike Festival, which is being held from 1-3 May. Whether you’re a leisure cyclist or full-blown MTB junkie, it’s going to be a fun, fun weekend.

I wish I could go…

Unfortunately. I’ll be stuck with the traditional Workers Day braai at my place. I really have no desire to hear Michelle talk about her latest boob lift or Crystal blab about her R500 haircut. Those woman make me want to attack them with braai tongs and set their boobs on fire. Grrrrrrr.

Nonetheless, please go out to Dirtopia and enjoy the weekend. Have a moment of silence for poor old Wendy and bring back some sand to Joburg as a souvenir.

Heya peeps, hope everyone has been enjoying the long weekend *I know I certainly have* I decided that it would be in the best interest of all if we published some cycling jokes today. So please bear with me, they can be corny LOL. Enjoy…
A tandem rider is stopped by a police car. “What’ve I done, officer?” asks the rider.
“Perhaps you didn’t notice sir, but your wife fell off your bike ten minutes ago . . .”
“Oh, thank God for that,” says the rider – “I thought I’d gone deaf!”

Encyclopaedia is a fetish for very small bicycles.

A nerd was walking down the sidewalk one day when his friend, another nerd, rode up on an incredible shiny new bicycle.
The first nerd was stunned by his friend’s sweet ride and asked, “WOW! Where did you get such a nice bike?”
The second nerd replied, “Well, yesterday I was walking home, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up to me on this bike. She threw the bike to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, ‘Take what you want!’”
The second nerd nodded approvingly, “Good choice. The clothes probably wouldn’t have fit.”

Q. Do you know what’s the hardest part of learning to ride a bike?
A. The pavement.

“Learn to ride a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live.” – Mark Twain

Like irregularities in the Zimbabwean elections and the latest Nando’s ad, so are the days of our mountain bikes…

In today’s episode of Days of our Mountain Bikes titled ‘Rest in Peace’, Mike begins to train heavily as a distraction to Julia’s latest betrayal. The ghost of his mother appears and tells him that he has done the right thing and he has now allowed for her ghost to finally rest in peace in cycling heaven. Will Mike win his race or will Julia somehow creep back into his life?

Tobias accepts his ginger son, David, but realises that he may have lost Whitney forever. David is happy to have his father back in his life and also to have one extra person who likes the ginger kid. Will Whitney accept Tobias and his ginger son or will Tobias slowly forget about his forbidden passion?

Diana discovers that Hel-Met has been experimenting with EPO and confronts him. Hel-Met screams at Diana to leave him alone, but a moment later collapses from apparent sore nipples. The doctor checks Hel-Met out and tells Diana that her adopted son is suffering from a hormonal overdose in his body. How will Diana take this news? Will Hel-Met have regular nipples again?